Jeremiah 26

In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the LORD, saying,

1This message came from the LORD to Jeremiah. It came early in the time when Jehoiakim was king of Judah. Jehoiakim was the son of Josiah.

2Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:

2The LORD said: Go stand in the yard of my house, the temple. People come there from all the towns of Judah to worship. Tell them every word I command you to say. Do not leave out even one word.

3If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.

3Maybe they will listen. Maybe each one will stop doing wrong and turn back to me. Then I will change my mind about the trouble I planned to send them. I planned it because of the evil things they do.

NoteThe KJV says God will "repent." Here that means God changes his mind about the punishment he had planned. It does not mean God did something wrong. The same word is used again in verses 13 and 19.

4And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,

4You are to tell them this. The LORD says: You must listen to me. You must live by my law, the rules I gave you.

5To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened;

5You must listen to my servants the prophets. Prophets are people who tell others what God says. I sent them to you again and again, but you would not listen.

6Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.

6If you will not listen, I will make this house like Shiloh. And I will make this city a name that people all over the world use when they curse.

NoteShiloh was a town where God's house once stood, long before the temple in Jerusalem. It had been destroyed, so everyone knew what the warning meant.

7So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.

7The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah say these words in the LORD's house.

8Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.

8Jeremiah finished saying everything the LORD had told him to say. Then the priests, the prophets, and all the people grabbed him. They shouted, "You must die!"

9Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

9"Why did you speak in the LORD's name and say such things? You said this house will be like Shiloh. You said this city will be empty, with no one living in it." All the people crowded around Jeremiah in the LORD's house.

10When the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king’s house unto the house of the LORD, and sat down in the entry of the new gate of the LORD’s house.

10The leaders of Judah heard what was happening. They came up from the king's palace to the LORD's house. They sat down at the doorway of the New Gate.

11Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.

11Then the priests and the prophets spoke to the leaders and to all the people. "This man should be put to death. He spoke against this city. You heard him with your own ears."

12Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.

12Then Jeremiah spoke to all the leaders and all the people. "The LORD sent me. He told me to say every word you heard against this house and this city."

13Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.

13"So change your ways. Change the things you do. Obey the voice of the LORD your God. Then he may change his mind about the trouble he said he would send you."

14As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.

14"As for me, I am in your hands. Do to me whatever you think is good and right."

15But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the LORD hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.

15"But be sure of one thing. If you kill me, you are killing a man who has done nothing wrong. That guilt will fall on you, on this city, and on everyone here. The LORD really did send me to say all these words to you."

16Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man is not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.

16Then the leaders and all the people spoke to the priests and the prophets. "This man should not be put to death. He spoke to us in the name of the LORD our God."

17Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people, saying,

17Then some of the older leaders of the land stood up. They spoke to the whole crowd of people.

18Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

18"Micah from Moresheth spoke for God when Hezekiah was king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah what the LORD of Hosts said. The LORD of Hosts is God, who leads armies. Micah said, 'Zion will be plowed up like a farm field. Jerusalem will become piles of broken stones. The temple hill will grow wild like a forest.'"

Note"Jerusalem will become heaps" means the city will be knocked down into piles of rubble. "The mountain of the house" is the hill where the temple stood.

19Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the LORD, and besought the LORD, and the LORD repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.

19"Did King Hezekiah and the people of Judah kill Micah? No. Hezekiah honored the LORD and begged him to be kind. And the LORD changed his mind about the trouble he had promised. But we are about to bring great harm on ourselves."

20And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah:

20There was another man who spoke for the LORD. He was Urijah son of Shemaiah, from the town of Kirjathjearim. He said the same things Jeremiah said against this city and this land.

21And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death: but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt;

21King Jehoiakim, his strongest soldiers, and his leaders heard what Urijah said. The king wanted to put him to death. When Urijah heard this, he was afraid. He ran away to Egypt.

22And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him into Egypt.

22So King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt. He sent Elnathan son of Achbor, and some other men went with him.

23And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.

23They brought Urijah out of Egypt to King Jehoiakim. The king had him killed with a sword. Then his body was thrown into the graveyard used for ordinary people.

24Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.

24But Ahikam son of Shaphan stood by Jeremiah and helped him. So Jeremiah was not handed over to the people to be killed.